Horn laminate

[JMcCauley]

I intend to build an Asiatic bow, as well as a recurve. I want to use Osage, as I have a ton of it, and some type of horn. I've considered gemsbok, ram, and water buffalo. Does anyone have any experience/ideas/suggestions?

[Parnell]

Welcome to PA.  Where's your experience level at with bow making? 
There are many posts and lots of people that can help guide you in the right direction.
Have you tried doing searches in the "how to" section?  PatB put up a build-a-long that may get you going on the recurve.
Have you checked out the Bowyer's Bible series?  Lots of good information.
I'm sure other's will check in.  I think there are some people considering putting in a larger order for horn being ordered from Asia.  Maybe you can get involved.

Good luck.

Parnell

P.s. PatB's thread is in the archive library - 60" recurved elm bow...

[james parker]

welcome to PA,,as parnell said there is a lot of experience  and skill  the guys have here on this board,, myself i would choose the water buffalo horn as my first choice,i have built many horn composite bows and the asian horn is hard to beat,,osage is not the greates wood for a horn bow ,hard maple ,hophornbean  and hickory are much better woods for a core, i have thought about trying it myself but the chance of core failure is too great,a large wast of horn, sinew ,glue and the time involved in building such a bow... but if you succeed, i would like to see it... i hope you have great success...... james

[JMcCauley]

Thanks for the advice, guys. I'm actually just starting out. I have just become interested I archery and I'm a die-hard DIYer. I have a huge supply of wood of almost every kind imaginable, and plenty of tools to work with. I like to start with tough projects, so I figured an asiatic bow would provide a good challenge, though I'll probably attempt a recurve first. I'd really like to use horn laminate, though the core wood could be anything. I've found a horn supplier in the U.S., though I'd really like to know if there's any way to get yak horn. I'm sure some of you have read The White Archer, and I believe that's what was used in the bow described in that book. 

[BowEd]

Water buffalo or gemsbok work well.Getting flat laminates 1/8 inch thick inch and a half wide 34 inches long tapering to a half inch I do with a heat gun a vice and a sander or whatever a person can devise to get the job done.Hickory I know works very good for a core.Osage would too.I don't think there's much out there osage can't help a bow maker with. Superior wood in my book in all phases of bow making.I just use the horn on the belly of bows so far either in a reflex or deflex reflex form so far.It definitely adds pounds and sustains a reflex.I've only made 30 bows or so.Learning how to tiller was a neccessity first for me.

[JW_Halverson]

From all my reading on these bows, there is a lot of "down time" in their manufacture as you allow glues to set up, cure, and stabilize.  That will work to your advantage, because while you have nothing you can do for your composite bow you should be buying a stick of red oak 1x2 at your local box store every week and turning THAT into a bow.  There is a huge learning curve in tillering even a plain-jane straight bow, no sense mucking up who knows how many bucks in materials only to turn out a crappy composite bow that isn't going to satisfy your cravings.   

Read a hundred books on the subject, you'll gain plenty of knowledge.  But knowledge is NOT experience, making shavings on the shop floor yeilds experience.  Besides, it's lotsa fun.  All goes well, you can arm an entire scout troop with bows and arrows for a lifetime!  Just what we all need, more kids running around with dangerous weapons!

[mullet]

 And if James says Osage isn't the best wood for this project, I'd listen before you spend money and 6 to 8 months or more building it. I know he makes nice ones because I own one he made.

[JMcCauley]

I have pecan, mulberry, elm, and honey mesquite to use. Which of these would be the best for this project?

[shikari]

Mulberry is a wood used by the koreans and is considered excellent for horn composites,I have used only mulberry for making the sahiyas of hornbows.regards
P.J.

[JMcCauley]

Ok, thanks. Has anyone ever tried yak horn? And how does a person acquire yak horn?

[JW_Halverson]

First you catch yerself a yak. 

I think you will have better luck finding some gemsbock horn or water buffalo horn.

[JMcCauley]

Lol, I've considered buying an old yak and waiting for it to die, but that seems time consuming. I think I may end up on a yak hunt in Asia, but one day... one day I shall have my yak horns. Alternatively I may just buy a mounted yak and take the horns.

[james parker]

wow! whats that mount gonna cost,, water buffalo horn is much cheaper that a mounted head to cut horns from, you could purchase several pair for the same money, unless the mount is dirt cheap and shedding its hair, just my thoughts, good luck with the yak

[mikekeswick]

Osage will work for a core but it's not the best choice as it's ring porous. Maple / bamboo have been the choices for hundreds of years for a reason! You really want a diffuse porous wood for the core, i've used cherry succesfully. Remember though your core must be flawless with no grain swirls or pin knots etc..
Water buffalo horn is the way to go. Easy to obtain and again it's proven.
As said above tillering a straight bow is hard enough when just starting out....a horn bow is another story altogether
Buy Adam Karpowzi's book and maybe buy 'Making the Korean Hornbow' dvd, both of these will help immeasurably.

[Parnell]

Not to dissuade you from the horn laminate - go for it, but why not start by trying to make an osage bow while you're gathering the materials and information to make the horn bow?
Making a osage bow is no small undertaking, especially if you do a nice recurve and haven't tillered yet...

You gave me a good laugh with the Yak idea.  Now that's dedication to the bow making process!

WANTED:  Old yak with well formed horns for a loving home.  Willing to give him a place of honor in the family room...right by the fireplace.  Very cozy.  Serious enquiries only.